The Myth Of Progress – Training Attention & Delivering Results

Here’s what I’m up to now. I’m currently holding a full time job, coach close to 10 hours a week, host two podcasts, administer two YouTube channels, starting up a travel blog, and train. With that said, energy and more importantly, focus are at a premium. I can only guess and assume that many of you have as hectic or even busier schedules with work, family, side hustles, side projects, commuting, you name it. I sometimes find myself fighting feelings of anxiety thinking about all the things that I think need to get done in order to feel like I’m getting anywhere. When this happens I tend to do way too many things at once, creating the illusion of progress. My attention is all over the place and after a few hours, I feel like I have gotten absolutely nothing accomplished.

Juggling Too Many Things At Once (Image Courtesy of PROBLOGGER.PODCAST)

So what to do, how to do it, and when? In order to attain peak productivity (read choosing and completing the right tasks), we need to be in an optimal mood, have ample energy, low levels of stress, sharp focus, and high efficiency. Recently I was introduced to Azoth 2.0 and unlike commonly used caffeinated beverages that only address focus, or energy, AZOTH 2.0 addresses all parts of productivity. So what is Azoth 2.0? It is the ultimate productivity formula, containing patented ingredients to take energy, focus, motivation, and mood to the next level without any crashes, jitters, tolerance build-up or withdrawals – all the things we want to avoid. Or better yet, just imagine everything as sharper, clearer, brighter, and more colorful*.

Once we are in the right mood, with appropriate focus and energized, we are ready to to answer the questions of what, how and when? First, remember that small positive actions executed over time will lead to greater results. This is not sexy, and it will take time. Second, create something helpful that adds value to you and others and will benefit the greater good. This can be your inner circle, family, colleagues, workplace, gym and clients. Again, it can be something small eventually leading to something greater, but create.

Think about content everyday or as often as possible, work on that content everyday, and in small increments. What really works for me is setting up blocks of time for myself in which I work on certain things or tasks on specific days. For example, one hour on Monday to release a new episode, ninety minutes to train, one hour for study or self development, thirty minutes for email.

“I never could have done what I have done

without the habit to concentrate myself on one subject at a time.”

~ Charles Dickens

We can be more effective with smaller doses more frequently versus marathons once in a while but be sure to flex your creative muscles. Last but not least, don’t feed into self-imposed barriers such as, “oh, it already exists, nobody will read it, nobody cares”. If it exists that means it works – in the worst case you are “training”. Just like in the gym, you need to stress to adapt.

That covers a lot of the why, how, and what. Now to more of the when. Here is my process flow of completing tasks, getting things done, and making real progress:

1) Get off your phone, NOW. Turn it off, hide it somewhere, leave it behind in another room. Have your wife take it from you. That’s my favorite.

2.) Does it really matter?

– Do you really need to do it?

– Can it wait till tomorrow? What is the real risk of not getting it done?

– If you put it off until tomorrow, how will it impact other items coming up tomorrow?

3.) Does it have a deadline?

– Is the deadline real or arbitrary? I like to create deadlines to push myself to complete a task but that can sometimes backfire.

– Do you have a commitment to deliver to someone else or to yourself?

4.) Does it make you happy? This is a more difficult question as it is less tangible but answer in both short term and long term. Investing in yourself (education) and relationships might not pay off immediately but has much greater value long term than, let’s say, finishing that blog by Tuesday.

5.) Does it provide value to others?

6.) Will I be a better person for doing this at this time?

7.) What is the cost or profit associated with working on this task? If the steps above are met, profit will eventually take care of itself. Measures of cost can be many but a critical point is to value your time as a cost of doing a certain task – think “how much am I getting back”?

Do I follow this process all the time? Definitely not, but I believe I have trained myself to hopefully do it more often than not. Greatest asset has been coming to recognize and identify over time those things that tend to provide a larger impact on what I’m trying to accomplish and deliver results. Give the steps above a try and let me know if and how it has worked for you, and if you are interested in trying this incredible product please use the coupon code “UNCHARTED” (all caps) for 10% at SeekingAzoth.com

*These claims have not been approved by the FDA and are the personal opinion of the writer.